Ann Coffey

They conducted an investigation into county lines operations focusing on the shocking levels of violence and exploitation of children by criminal gangs.

In the clip below, I spoke about why we need to reassess how we view children who are criminally exploited by gangs. As well as myself, they spoke with Merseyside Police, a former gang member who groomed children to sell drugs and a mother whose son was exploited by gangs.

Manchester Crown Court in Minshull Street is one of the slowest courts in England and Wales for processing child sexual offences.

Ann Coffey, MP for Stockport, and author of two reports on child sexual exploitation in Greater Manchester, said the six month long delays were ‘unacceptable’ and ‘torture for victims’.

She said the latest figures were very disappointing and called for urgent action to speed up the process for victims.

Ms Coffey asked the Ministry of Justice how long delays were for each of the 74 Crown Courts in the country for child sexual offences from when the case was first received by the Crown Court to the main hearing.

The Parliamentary Answer (avaliable here) revealed Minshull Street in Manchester had the seventh highest average waiting time in the country.

Children at St Paul’s Primary School in Brinnington recently got the chance to meet with Stockport MP Ann Coffey.

The school council talked to Ann about their role as school councillors and about the suggestions they had made for the redesign of Brinnington Park. They also had ideas for new laws parliament could pass to improve their environment.

Ann Coffey said:

“It was always a pleasure to listen to children. They are always full of good ideas and so enthusiastic .We do need to spend more on schools so that every child has the opportunity to achieve. They are our future. We should be supporting our children and this great school

Joanna Harrington, Headteacher at St Paul’s added:

“Our School Council loved meeting Ann and having the chance to share their ideas with her. We want to continue providing similar opportunities for our children , but this is becoming more difficult because of funding pressures and we’ve had to make difficult choices to best resource our school.”

To find out more about St Paul’s or to contact them, please visit www.st-pauls.stockport.sch.uk.

Ann Coffey MP pictured with members of the School Council at St Paul’s